Golf Gab: Some tidbits from around the links

Thursday

Sep 27, 2012 at 3:15 AMOct 1, 2012 at 3:42 PM

Too often we neglect to acknowledge and appreciate those who critically contribute behind the scene. Relative to our particular venue are the golf course superintendents. The job of a superintendent is like playing against the house in Las Vegas.

Every year it's something new. Intense storms that pack tree-topping winds, drought, flooding, searing heat, and stress caused from insects and desease. Indeed many of the challenges facing course superintendents come in the way of extremes, but even when weather conditions are relatively benign the job also requires a self-disciplined, multi-tasking maintenance director in charge of managing the clubs most valuable assent.

To produce the best possible playing conditions on a daily basis, the golf course superintendent often must overcome a stacked deck from fractured irrigation lines tomany other unforeseen traumatic emergencies. Fittingly, Syngenta, a manufacturer of fungicides and pesticides for the golf market (in partnership with Golfweek magazine) presents a TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award. Nominations can be submitted by golf course owners, operators, general managers, club members, golf professionals, vendors, distributors and colleagues by email to John Reitman at jreitmantirfnet.com for more information. The deadline is Nov, 30.

The annual Rochester Lodge of Elks Children Charity Fund scramble tournament was again held at Sanford (Maine)Country Club yielding over $1,700 for the fundraiser.

The foursome of Tom Peterson, Dave Therrien, Craig Colburn and Mike D. (last name not provided) led the field in the fgross competition carding a 60, while first net went to the team of Joe (Tootie) Wade, Robbie Moore, Adam Okabe and Steve Gagne with a 60. A pair of teams registered scores of 60 ½ also in the net pairings with the tournament directors awarding second place to Roger Sargent, Peter George, Dan Reynolds and Bill Brennan. Officially in third place was the quartet of Butch Frank, Dennis Verge, Barry Hodgdon and Dennis Dubois.

Individual honors went to Barry Hodgdon, Closest to the pin on the 189-yard, par 3, third hole; and the over-70 years old category, Louie Yong took first place with a shot of 3' 9" on the 74-yard, par 3 thirteenth green.Craig Coburn outdistanced the field with the Longest Drive on the 18th fairway and Bud Riley won the 70-years old and Ladies division.

Farmington CC hosed a 3-day Pro Days event on September 7, 8 and 9. On Friday in the opening round, C.J. Prenaveauwas tops in the Gross scoring with a 74 with guest Dexter Ellsmore coming in with an 80. On the Net side of the ledger, Dave Sargent won out with a 62 and Russ Solsky led with a 67.

Also on Friday, Flint Quisumbing's 35 paced the nine-hole competition and guests' honors went to Casey Smith with a Gross score of 43. Winning the nine-hole Net was oger Mains carding a 36 and Kyle Smith (36) won the guests' Net. In individual play, Jack Michel was closest to the pin (4'9") on the 150-yard sixth. The Women's longest drive on the first hole was won by C.J. Prenavue and andy Talon for the Men. Longest putts on Friday were Eric Tompson (37'6") on the fifth hole and Dan Saltzman on the ninth (9'10").

Saturday's results, Gross, Rich Peek (73), Tom Kilrain (79) for eighteen holes and Marc Bergeron (61) and Keith (67), tops in the Net. In the nine-hole play, Bill Monza and Andy Morrill both came in with 42. Winners in the Net category were Brian Ferland (28) and Howard Healey (32) and Connie Philbrick also a 32, Bruce Young took first place with a 5' 11" measurement on the 150-yard third hole. Sherman and Philbrick won the Longest Drive in the men's and women's competition. Longest putts were dropped bt Joe Alty (28'6") on the fifth green and Bob Spencer (17'4") on the ninth.

On Sunday, it was Rich Peek again winning Gross honors for eighteen holes carding a 72 with Herb Holt earning second place shooting 76.Net leaders were John Picott (64) and Don Abbott (66). Posting a 34 in th nine hole et competition was none other than the 11-year old Sam Reynolds (son of Tobey and Stacy Reynolds of Alton) while Paul Cameron shot 36. Closest to thepin went to Randy Talon (10') on the 150-yard third hole and Jim Sherman (11') on the 170-yard sixth. Longest drives were by Steve Landry (Men) and Deb Congram (Women). Sinking the longest putts on Sunday were Bill Banks (18'2") on the fifth green and Sam Reynolds (22'9") on the ninth. Congratulations Sam.

NOTABLE FARMINGTON CC notes: Dominating the Ladies Senior Championships was Sue Ferland, winning this year's title. It was her fourth championship, winning consecutively in 2007-08 and 2009. Cathie Chassie won in 2010. ... Harold Strand recorded his fourth career hole-in-one recently at FCC acing the par-3 12th hole from the 120-yard tee hitting a 5-hybrid. It was his second at Farmington (oddly enough, his son Rob Strand, who is a single digit handicapper and competes in the New Hampshire Amateurs, has never had ace). The elder Strand's achievement was only the third at Farmington this season. The others were Doug Gilman and Wendy James.